The Zao Observatory is located on top of a mountain 250 meters above sea level in the city of Tahara. From the top floor, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Tahara city, Mikawa Bay, Chita city, Toyohashi city, Gamagori city, Cape Irago, and the Pacific Ocean.
On clear winter days, it is even possible to see Mount Fuji in the distance.
On the second floor of the observation deck is the “Zao Panorama Cafe,” which operates from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and offers seasonal menus. In the summer, you can enjoy melon and ice cream made with the local Amanatsu fruit.
From the bathroom on the top floor of the observation deck, you can admire the city landscape below through the glass. It’s worth checking out.
The nighttime view is also stunning, with the lights of the houses and buildings below, the illumination of the industrial area, and the sea illuminated by the moonlight, making it a popular tourist destination for couples and one of the most romantic spots for evening dates in Aichi Prefecture.
Parking
History
The building was completed in 1964, along with the access road, and the current observation deck was inaugurated in April 1994. The building has four air-conditioned and glass-enclosed floors, allowing visitors to enjoy an unobstructed 360-degree panoramic view.
The top floor features a floor that simulates a starry sky; the combination of the illuminated stones covering the floor with the nighttime view is stunning, a spectacle worth witnessing at least once.
The third floor has light as its theme, with large screens displaying graphic animations inspired by the ocean, animations in which fish react to light and shadow, which are especially popular with children, as well as images of local fireworks and the city’s nighttime view.
And on the second floor, you can also enjoy a stunning view of the city’s nighttime landscape.
The building itself is also illuminated twice a day, at 7 PM and 8 PM.
Next to the observation deck is a wind turbine, built in February 2002, a symbol of the “Tahara Ecological Garden City Concept,” a sustainable urban development initiative promoted by the city of Tahara. Part of the clean energy generated by the wind turbine is supplied to the observation deck to illuminate the 4,000 LED lights installed in the parking lot and in the trees around the turbine, allowing visitors to enjoy an even more stunning night view.
- Tourist Attraction: Zao Observatory
- Location: Tahara – Aichi
- Hours: 9:00 to 22:00
- Building Illumination: 19:00 and 20:00
- Admission: Free
- Elevator: Available
- Restaurant: 10:00 to 16:00 (closed on Tuesdays)
- Vending machines for drinks and ice cream: Available
- Parking: Free (135 spaces)
- Restroom: Available
- Baby changing area: Available
- Wi-Fi: Available
Aichi Tahara Uracho Zao 1-46